Bluestein Attorneys | Blog

We tend to think of military veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in terms of military service in combat — that the disorder is caused by being under direct fire, subject to IEDs and their long-term effects, or just the day-to-day stress of combat possibilities.

While we've spoken before about how PTSD can occur even when you are not in direct combat during military service, there's one cause of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that can be hidden for years or even decades — military sexual trauma.

Today, we'd like to take a look at this tragically common occurrance and what you can do if you're a survivor.

BNTD's Gene Powell and his wife Mary Lou Powell have recently started a scholarship program to help students attending Mary Lou's alma mater, the University of South Florida, on the GI Bill. The Veteran Success Last Mile Scholarship will help recipients who still need assistance in paying tuition beyond what is covered by the GI Bill.

Gene and Mary Lou both have the military life in their blood — alongside Gene's own time in the service, his three uncles all served during World War II. Mary Lou's father was a Navy man who served at Pearl Harbor.

While presenting the inaugural Veteran Success Last Mile Scholarship award during the USF Alumni Luncheon, Gene made the following remarks, which we print in full below:

Service-connected PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is unfortunately an all-too-common side effect of serving in the military.

Military servicemembers may return from deployment with symptoms ranging from low-level anxiety to nightmares, to completely debilitating fears. PTSD can keep you from being able to work or could even affect your interactions with friends and family.

What about those soldiers who aren't deployed into combat zones, however? One question we are often asked is, "Can I have PTSD if I was never in combat?"

We'd like to take a look at the answer to that question today.

Gulf War Syndrome is a medical condition that was initially expressly equated with the first Gulf War, although certain symptoms have been found to span other conflicts in the Middle East and surrounding areas since then.

The U.S. soldiers returning from the first Gulf War began suffering from chronic health issues that were chronicled and eventually became categorized as Gulf War Syndrome.

More than 650,000 Service members served in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm from August 2, 1990 to July 31, 1991. For VA benefits eligibility purposes, the Gulf War period is still in effect. This means that anyone who served on active duty from August 2, 1990, to present is considered a Gulf War Veteran.

To lose a loved one is always a tragedy. For the spouse or family members of a military servicemember, that tragedy can be compounded by many different factors — whether they died during combat or deployment, after their return, or even years or decades later on.

Family members may be left wondering if they'll have access to any benefits to help them navigate the difficult path after their loved one has died. One of the most common questions we hear is from the spouses of recently deceased servicemembers, wondering if they will be able to access the benefits due after their loved one's service. We have the answer below.

As we've mentioned in earlier blogs about working with the VA, disability payments based on service-connected disability or conditions vary widely depending on the injuries or disabilities that the claim is based on, and also the context and circumstances in which the injuries or disability occurred.

Even after a claim is settled and you begin receiving regular benefits, you may have questions remaining. Some of our clients have contacted us after settlement to ask, "Can the VA reduce my benefits?" Today, we'd like to take a moment to answer the question.

For the next couple of weeks, we'll be taking time here at Bluestein Attorneys' blog to do something a little different. It's essential when dealing with sensitive legal issues to get an understanding of the attorneys you're looking to represent you — and nowhere is that more important than in Veterans Affairs Disability claims.

Our VA attorneys have agreed to answer a few questions that will help you get to know them a little bit better, and to understand why they are so passionate about defending and standing up for the rights of military veterans and servicemembers. First up, we'll meet with Clyde Gore.

When we opened up this new blog, there were a few posts from our old blog that we made sure to hold onto — our series on PTSD and the VA and this post on the impact of the water contamination at Camp Lejeune. We hope you'll take the time to read it again, in respect to the Marines and their families exposed to the sometimes fatal water contamination at Camp Lejeune.

2014 marked the centenary of the beginning of World War I. This year, in many parts of the world, commemorative events will be held, marking the 100th anniversary of the start of what was referred to at the time as the Great War. In the history of psychiatry, the First World War is often identified with the first time in history that military Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was officially recognized, then known as "shellshock.” [1] “Shellshock” would undergo a long metamorphosis to emerge in 1980 as “PTSD”.

The VA process for service connection for PTSD has travelled a long and often uncertain road. Let's take a look at how you should present your case to the VA.

Part I Part II Part III

Mankind’s earliest literature tells us that a significant proportion of military casualties are psychological, and that witnessing death can leave chronic psychological symptoms, known today as service-connected Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD.

Part I Part II Part III